George t



(No Model.)

- .G. T. CHAPMAN.

STREET GAR.

No. 464,450. Patented Dec.l 1, 1891.

me Nnnms versus an.. morro-urna., msmNu-ran n c TFUNr'rn PATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, O F WHITE PLAINS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO TILLIAMHARVEY MERRITT, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

STREET-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,450, dated December1, 1891.

Application led March 21, 1891. Serial No. 385,930. (No model.)

To all wiom/ it may concern:

Beitknown that I, GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, a the lower end resting on thesprings, the

citizen of the United States, and a resident of White Plains,\Vestchester county, and -State of New York, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Street-Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in an improved arrangement for mountingstreet-cars, and also other cars, the objects of which are to providefor more uniform action of the springs under the varying condition ofthe load; also, to provide for more substantial and durable contrivanceof the springs, and especially to provide against the very disagreeablelengthwise rocking motion to which such oars are subject as mounted atthe present time, all as hereinafter fully described, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sideelevation of the bed-frame of a car-body and the wheel-base of a car asI propose to construct them. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.Fig. 3 is a side elevation in which I represent the mainsupporting-springs separated at tho middle and having other springssupporting the ends of the separate parts of said main springs. Fig. 4is an end elevation showing the springs arranged crosswise of the car.

I provide a truck-frame a for the wheelsindependently of the bed-frame bof the car, and preferably mount it rigidly on the axles c withoutsprings, but may employ springs if thought best, and under the side orend bars of this frame d I arrange long flat springs d by suspendingthem at the ends in any approved way, as at e, between the wheels andthe ends of the frame, respectively, with the bow extending from one tothe other of the points of connection under the housings f of the truckwhen said springs are placed lengthwise, either constructing the springin one continuous plate, as in Fig. l, or making itin two pieces partedat the middle and seated thereat on the coiled or' other springssupported on the hanger j, suspended from the side bars a of thebed-frame. Then placed crosswise, the springs may be suspended forwardof the wheel-truck on the studs e, suitably projected for the purpose,and I mount the car-body on these springs by the standards h, having agrooved or flanged rollerz' in standards preferably being forked, so asto straddle the bars a when the springs are arranged at the sides andreceive the flanged rollers between the prongs of the forks, and

they will also be suitably forked for the rollers when the springs arearranged at the ends; but any other approved form of standard may beused. Directly in'advance of where the rolls e rest on the springs theyare turned upward in abrupt bends Z, and therefrom the di` rection isnearly vertical to the points e, by which they are suspended. Crosswiseor `lengthwise movements of the car-body are prevented by these abruptcurves in front of i the rolls t', according as the springs arearranged. In this arrangement of springs the yrange ot' vertical motionis less by shocksand between light and loaded conditions than in theordinary arrangements, and yet it is much less jerky in any conditionthan in the car of the ordinary arrangement when loaded. The effects ofthe shocks are expended on the middle portions of the springs, where themotion is much greater than where the car-body rests, to the relief ofthe body and without injurious stress on the springs, because of thestress through the length from the bearingpoints to the middle. It willbe seen that the length between the centers of the standards is muchgreater than it can be between the centers of the ordinary car-bodysupports, becausein such arrangement they have to be overv the axles,and the distance between the aXlesis limited to a certain distancebeyond which the wheels will not run freely on the curves of the track.In consequence of this greater distance between the supports in myimproved arrangement, and also because the wheel-frame is mountedwithout springs, the body will be most effectually prevented fromrocking lengthwise, to which it is greatly subject in the commonarrangement, especially when light and when passengers collect on theplatforms.

My invention is applicable to other forms of cars and to other vehicles,and I do not limit myself in the use of it to any particular form ofvehicle; but it is more particularly applicable to street-cars. Yhen thesprings ICO are parted at the middle and have the coiled orother springsfor supportingl the ends thereat, they may be made more stiff and rigidas levers, the springs g in such caseatlording the requisite elasticity.The springs thus made independent ot' each other may be longer andoverlap each other along the midway portions. This maybe more preferablewhen the springs are employed in the erosswise arrangementJ at the ends.

l. rlhe combination, in a car or other vchicle, of the truck-framemounted on the axles, lthe bow-springs suspended at the ends fromsupports carried on the truck-frame, and the car-body supported on saidsprings by standards resting in the curves of the bow near the ends bywhich the springs are suspended, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a car or other vehicle, of the truck-framemounted on the axles, the bow-springs suspended at the ends fromsupports carried on the truck-frame, and the car-body supported on saidsprings by standards havinga flanged roll pivoted in the lower end andresting in the curves of the bow near the ends by which the springs aresuspended, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a car or other vehicle, of the truck-framemounted on the axles, springs suspended from and below the truckframe,and the bed-frame ot the body, supported over the truck-frame bystandards resting on the springs near the ends and below saidtruck'lrame, substantially as described.

4. rIhe combination, in a car or other Veh icle, of the truck-f ramemounted on the axles, springs suspended at the ends under the side barsof the truck-frame between the axles and the ends of said frame,respectively, and the bed-frame of the body, supported over thetruck-frame by standards resting on the springs between the axles of thetruck and the ends of the springs and below the truckraine,substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a car or other vehicle, of the truck-framemounted on the axles, springs suspended at one end from and below thetruck-frame, and the bed-frameof thebod y, supported over thetruck-frame by standards resting on the springs near one end and belowthe truck-frame, and other springs supporting the other ends of the saidcar-body-supporting springs, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of October, 1890.

GEO. T. CIIAPM AN.

I itnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, W. B.A EARLL.

